Studies on keratoconjunctivitis sicca incidence in crossbred dogs.

The present study was aimed at determination of keratoconjunctivitis sicca occurrence in crossbred dogs. The investigations covered 36 mongrel dogs with keratoconjunctivitis sicca recognized by the ophthalmic examination. Patients' age and sex was established. The ophthalmic evaluation protocol included: the conjunctiva examination (humidity, redness, discharge), the corneal examination (transparency, vessel ingrowth, pigmentation, defects), Schirmer tear test. The highest incidence among the crossbred dogs was reported between 6 and 9 year of age, males accounted for 64% of cases. In a clinical study involving 61 corneas, 10 appeared to be completely opaque. The pigmentation occured in 75% of corneas. The corneal defects were found in 50% of cases. A 10-15 mm/min Schirmer test was established in 29% while 0-5 mm/min in 28% of cases.

Effects of alpha-ketoglutarate on bone homeostasis and plasma amino acids in turkeys.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of denervation and alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) administration on the development of osteopenia in the turkey radius. At 22 d of age, all turkeys were subjected to neurectomy of the right radius. Control turkeys were given a saline solution into the crop each day for 97 d. Experimental turkeys were given 0.4 g of AKG/kg of BW into the crop each day. After 98 d, BW was not affected by the AKG treatment. Volumetric bone mineral density of the radius was measured by quantitative computed tomography. Mechanical properties were tested using a 3-point bending test. Cross-sectional area, second moment of inertia, and mean relative wall thickness were measured as well. Amino acid concentrations were assessed with the use of ion-exchange chromatography. Denervation had a negative effect on all bone characteristics that were measured except bone length. The AKG had a positive effect on all bone characteristics except bone length. Plasma concentrations of proline and leucine were increased by AKG, whereas concentrations of taurine and glutamine were decreased. The turkey radius appears to be a good model for studying osteopenia because its development can be affected by treatments such as denervation and AKG administration.

Immunological experimental arthritis in pigs. I. Propagation dynamics of the attenuated strain of Aujeszky's disease virus in the pig organism and the humoral immunity formation.

Studies on the propagation dynamics of Aujeszky's disease virus and the formation of general and local joint immunity were to provide information explaining the mechanism of experimental rheumatoid arthritis in animals. It was shown that: Aujeszky's disease virus administered intramuscularly caused viremy on 3-4th day after its application and disappeared from the blood circulation on 5-6th day, introduced into the pig ankle joint, the virus was eliminated from the articular fluid two hours after injection, but it appeared again 3-7 days later probably due to the propagation in the cells of the synovial membrane, and that first parenteral administration of the virus induced the formation of neutralizing antibodies in low titer (5-10 units); application of the virus for the second time brought about a considerable increase of antibodies titer within 40-80 units.

Immunological experimental arthritis in pigs. II. The level of complement in the pigs immunized with the Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and virus of Aujeszky's disease.

The level of complement was studied in 3 groups of pigs. One group was immunized with Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and two remaining groups with virus of Aujeszky's disease. The lowest titers, irrespective of the starting level were shown to exist in all the studied groups in the third week after the last dose of the virus.

Immunological experimental arthritis in pigs. IV. Reaction of the synovial membrane of the non-immunized and immunized pigs after intraarticular administration of the virus of Aujeszky's disease.

7 days after intramuscular administration of the attenuated virus of Aujeszky's disease, strain TK 300 L, it was found: in non-immunized animals--immunological arthritis with fibrinoid necrosis and abundant infiltrations from lymphoid cells; in animals of low antibodies titer--only few infiltrations from lymphoid and plasmic cells round the sub-synovial vessels; in animals of high antibodies titer--vast areas of fibrinoid necrosis, abundant infiltrations from lymphoid cells and presence of gigantic cells.

Immunological experimental arthritis in pigs. V. Reaction of the synovial membrane in the pigs non-immunized and immunized with the virus of Aujeszky's disease after the intraarticular administration of the immunological complexes.

Immunized animals were given intraarticular complexes formed in vitro from the autologous serum and virus AD. 7 days after complex administration with excess of the virus, weak inflammatory reactions of the immunological type were noted. After neutral complex administration virulent immunological inflammation of the synovial membrane took place. The histological picture resembled rheumatoid arthritis in the man and the changes obtained after the virus administration to the joints with a high level of antibodies. Administration of complexes and homological serum alone to the joints of the nonimmunized animals caused the occurrence of superficial focuses of fibrinoid necrosis, but there was a lack of cellular reactions.